- Target:
- Bass Coast Shire Council and Phillip Island Nature Park
- Region:
- Australia
Until May 2010, dogs could be walked on the beach , leash free, but under effective control. The Bass Coast Shire Council by-law expired, so to maintain a cohesive governance, both the Phillip Island Nature Park and the Bass Coast Shire Council now require all dogs to be walked on-leash.
At the moment, residents have to drive up to 15 km to a leash-free beach area of 100 metres, or a open, grassed, non treed area at Blue Gum estate. Given that 40% of households own dogs, both the Bass Coast Council and the PINP are failing in its duty of managing the different needs of residents.
To:
The Mayor and Councillors, Bass Coast Shire Council.
CEO and Senior Environment Supervisor, Phillip Island Nature Park.
We the undersigned electors, residents and visitors to Phillip Island request that DOGS BE ALLOWED TO WALK OFF-LEASH AND UNDER EFFECTIVE CONTROL, EXCEPT WITHIN 100 METRES OF A SIGNED HOODED PLOVER NESTING SITE, from 1 December to 30 April between 7.00-10.00am and 5.00-8.00pm on Surf Beach and Sunderland Bay.
For the following reason: As responsible dog owners, we want to allow our dogs to exercise under control and at the same time we want to look after the environment. So by keeping near the water’s edge with our dogs-on-lead we are doing no harm to the beach nesting birds above the high tide mark.
Research indicates that a person walking a dog on a leash along the water's edge poses no greater risk to the nesting hooded plover than walkers and joggers. (Managing the Hooded Plover in Victoria - Review of Existing Information. Author: Michael A. Weston. November 2003. Page 50-52).
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The Off leash Dog Walking on Surf Beach petition to Bass Coast Shire Council and Phillip Island Nature Park was written by ann grose and is in the category Animal Rights at GoPetition.